IWM Duxford

Website

E-mail

General information

Telephone

01223 835 000

Fax

01223 837 267

All information is drawn from or provided by the venues themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.

IWM Duxford tells the story of the impact of aviation on the nature of war and on people’s lives. Set within Britain’s best-preserved Second World War fighter station, seven impressive hangars filled with extraordinary collections and state-of-the-art exhibitions take you on an unforgettable journey through times of war and peace.

Venue Type:

Museum, Heritage site, Transport heritage site

Opening hours

IWM Duxford is open daily except for 24, 25 and 26 December.

Open from 10am until 6pm in the summer and from 10am until 4pm in the winter (from late October until mid-March)

Separate charges apply at air shows and some events. Visit www.iwm.org.uk/duxford for more information.

Discounts

English Heritage

Museums Association

Getting there

IWM Duxford is situated at Junction 10 of the M11, approximately 15 minutes from Cambridge and 40 minutes from the M25.

Additional info

Ample free parking, restaurant, cafes and a shop. The majority of IWM Duxford's buildings have level entry or ramped access for wheelchair users. Wheelchairs are available on loan and can be booked in advance. Guide dogs welcome.

The Normandy Experience looks at the dramatic invasion of Europe on D-Day, June 1944, and the events that followed in Normandy and NW Europe until the end of the war.'Monty' reveals one of the men behind the events shown in The Normandy Experience - Field Marshal Montgomery.The British Aircraft Collection: A selection of military and civil aircraft for you to browse.The Naval Collection: A fascinating range of exhibits from midget submarines to naval helicopters.The Land Warfare Hall houses Duxford's collection of tanks, trucks and artillery.The Battle of Britain Exhibition looks at the people and machines involved in the Battle of Britain and the Blitz of 1940-1941.The American Air Museum houses the finest collection of historic American combat aircraft outside the United States.'The Forgotten War' Exhibition highlights the political, military and the personal aspects of the Second World War in the Far East, the Pacific and in particular, Burma between 1941 and 1945.The history of the Royal Anglian Regiment Museum from 1958 - 1960. Includes The Cambridgeshire Regiment Collection.AirSpace houses the finest collection of aircraft including iconic Concorde, the Lancaster and much more!

Collection details

Weapons and War, Social History, Land Transport, Aviation

Key artists and exhibits

Concorde

Spitfire

Hurricane

Aircraft

Military Vehicles

Tanks

Wartime

RAF

USAAF

Exhibition details are listed below, you may need to scroll down to see them all.

Exhibition (permanent)

1940 Operations Room

1 November 2013 — 1 November 2018 *on now

A reconstruction of the place where RAF Duxford’s fighter aircraft were directed into combat during the Battle of Britain.

The fixtures and fittings of this historic room were removed long ago, but today you can see an accurate reconstruction of the Operations Room. A variety of different sources of evidence, including documents, photographs, film and personal recollections, were used in ensuring the Operations Room looks as it did in 1940.

Suitable for

Admission

Website

Air and Sea

1 November 2013 — 1 November 2018 *on now

Discover how Britain defended the country and controlled the sea during the First World War and beyond.

As an island, Britain’s control of the sea was vital to its defence. Air and Sea shows the changes in defence methods, from the giant battleships of the First World War to modern-day submarines and aircraft carriers.

Suitable for

Admission

Website

AirSpace

1 November 2013 — 1 November 2018 *on now

AirSpace tells the story of aviation in Britain and the Commonwealth, featuring over 30 iconic aircraft including Concorde and the Spitfire.

Since the pioneering days of flight, Britain and the Commonwealth have played a major role in the field of aircraft development. In AirSpace you can see many types of both military and civil aircraft through the ages.

The Exhibitions Gallery provides a fun and interactive way for the whole family to learn more about the aircraft and some of the themes you can explore elsewhere at IWM Duxford. And don’t miss the opportunity to go on board our Concorde, open from 10am to 5pm during our summer opening hours and from 11am to 3pm during winter opening hours - please call 01223 835 000 before your visit for the latest information on Concorde operating hours.

AirSpace also features The Wright Flyer Exhibition, which commemorates the first powered, sustained and controlled flight made by the American Wright brothers; a flight that marked the birth of modern aviation. The exhibition showcases an original piece of fabric taken from the Flyer, the aircraft in which the Wright brothers made their inaugural flight.

AirSpace is also home to Airborne Assault, the museum of The Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces, which tells the stories of soldiers who go to war from the air.

Suitable for

Admission

Website

Conservation in Action

1 November 2013 — 1 November 2018 *on now

A team of dedicated staff and volunteers at IWM Duxford care for hundreds of our unique exhibits.

The techniques and materials used to preserve a First World War aircraft are very different to those required for a modern military jet, but both need expert care to preserve them for future generations. Much of this vital work is carried out in full view of visitors in Conservation in Action.

Major restoration work only becomes necessary when the aircraft has been acquired in a severely damaged, incomplete or badly corroded condition. This is also true of the Duxford Aviation Society's collection of civil aircraft, most of which have been flown into the airfield for preservation.

Suitable for

Family friendly

Admission

Included in IWM Duxford admission

Website

The American Air Museum

1 November 2013 — 1 November 2018 *on now

The American Air Museum at IWM Duxford stands as a memorial to the 30,000 American airmen who gave their lives flying from UK bases during the Second World War, and also honours those who fought in Korea, Vietnam, Libya, Iraq and other conflicts and battles of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

This outstanding example of contemporary British architecture by Foster and Partners houses the largest collection of US historic military aircraft in Europe, including a vintage B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator, B-25 Mitchell, P-47 Thunderbolt, and aircraft from the Cold War era such as a B-52 Stratofortress, SR-71 Blackbird and F-4 Phantom.

Explore our new American Air Museum website and discover the memories and stories of the men and women of the US Army Air Forces who served in Great Britain during the Second World War.

Admission

Website

Flying Aircraft

Explore the two former RAF Type 2 hangars where some of the privately-owned historic aircraft are restored, maintained and prepared for flight.

At IWM Duxford we run an active airfield. Since 1977 our runway has been open to private fliers and over the years it has been used by a variety of historic and modern aircraft.

One of the largest and most famous aircraft to operate from IWM Duxford is the Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress Sally B, star of the film Memphis Belle. Sally B and other privately-owned ‘warbirds’ based at IWM Duxford are in frequent demand for air displays and filming, both in the UK and abroad.

During opening hours a small team of professional air traffic controllers, working from a Second World War control tower, provide flight information services to pilots based at IWM Duxford and to others flying in and out of the airfield.

Suitable for

Admission

Website

Historic Duxford

1 November 2014 — 1 November 2016 *on now

Historic Duxford is a new exhibition and historic site trail for families which explores Duxford's time as an RAF airfield from 1918 to 1961.

With many things to watch, listen to, have a go at, wear and even smell, Historic Duxford paints a vivid picture of daily life at RAF Duxford. Hear and see fascinating personal stories told by the men and women who worked and lived at RAF Duxford, in sound and film.

See the Watch Office, the forerunner to the Control Tower, as it might have been during the late 1930s.

Complementing the Historic Duxford exhibition is a heritage trail around the historic site with eight interactive posts. Each post features audio memories from veterans who worked at RAF Duxford. Pick up an activity sheet from the exhibition to complete as you follow the trail.

Discover Duxford’s own story – its eventful past and fascinating people.

Suitable for

Admission

Website

Events details are listed below. You may need to scroll down or click on headers to see them all. For events that don't have a specific date see the 'Resources' tab above.

Festival or fair

VE Day Anniversary Air Show

23 — 24 May 2015

The VE Day Anniversary Air Show pays tribute to the men, women and children who endured six years of conflict on the fighting fronts and the Home Front of the Second World War.

Our flying display honours the Allied forces, and their aircraft, from across the world, which contributed towards Victory in Europe. Across IWM Duxford, we remember the fortitude of the British people on the Home Front and evoke the spirit of celebration and weary relief with which they marked VE Day.

Suitable for

Family friendly

Website

Flying Legends Air Show

11 — 12 July 2015

The Flying Legends Air Show is famous the world over for its unique presentations of historic piston-engined aircraft in rare combinations and remarkable flying displays. Complementing dramatic displays in the air is the authentic 1940s atmosphere that can be experienced across IWM Duxford.

The flying display promises an unmissable fusion of power, sound, excitement and nostalgia as iconic piston-engined aircraft from across the globe perform their breathtaking flights over IWM Duxford’s historic airfield.

The balbo, a massed-formation finale, featuring many of the aircraft which have taken part in the stunning flying display, is unique to the Flying Legends Air Show and a world-renowned spectacle.